Principles of Traditional Herbal Medicine
Even a basic introduction to the principles of TCHM beyond the scope of this article. Consider this nothing more than a test of this vast medical system.
According to the principles of all Chinese medicine, health exists when the body is in balance and energy flows freely. The term “energy” refers to Qi, the vital energy that animates the body is said. The term “balance” refers to the relative factors of yin and yang – the opposing forces of the universe of the Taoist classics.
Yin and yang find their expression in various secondary antagonists such as cold vs. heat, dampness vs. dryness, the rise against relegation, rest against the activities and filled the void against him.In an ideal state, yin and yang in all their forms are in perfect balance in every part of the body. However, internal or external factors can upset this balance, leading to disease. Chinese medical diagnoses and treatments involving identification of the factors that are out of balance and an attempt to bring it into harmony. Diagnoses are made by “hear” the pulse (in other words, take the pulse with extraordinary care and sensitivity), observing and palpating various parts of the body and making lots of questions.
It is important to realize that diagnosis according to TCHM differs greatly from Western diagnosis. To understand this, consider two hypothetical patients with single Western diagnosis of migraine headache. The first might be said to have “dryness in the liver and ascending Qi,” while another might be diagnosed with “an exogenous cold air.” Based on these differing diagnoses, remedies could be implemented entirely different. In other words, there is no such thing in TCHM as a cure for all migraines, instead of this, treatment must be individualized to the imbalance determined by traditional theory.
The herbal formulas used in TCHM consist of four categories of herbs: ministerial, surrogate, auxiliaries and shipped. The herbs are aimed at ministerial main pattern of the disease. The herbs herbs help foster ministerial or directed to co-existing conditions. Auxiliary herbs are designed to reduce side effects of the first two kinds of herbs, and herbs sent direct the therapy to a particular body part. For example, in the case of “dry liver and ascending Qi” described above, an herbalist might employ a ministerial herb to reverse ascending Qi, a substitute for grass exert a moisturizer, an assistant herb to prevent stagnation Qi (Qi stagnation is said to be a side effect of herbal moisturizers), and an envoy to carry these effects to the liver.
The remedies of TCHM can also be designed to fit all common causes of migraine simultaneously, most of the time by multiplying the number of ingredients. TCHM professionals frown on this approach “multipurpose” but it is often popular among consumers and is easier to be tested scientifically.
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